Title: A Little Pain
Summary: At the age of 7, there were a few things Hinata Hyuga was sure of. One, her father, Hiashi Hyuga, was the strongest shinobi she knew. Second, just the thought of her having to one day make decisions for her entire clan terrified her beyond belief. Third, her younger sister Hanabi, at the age of 2, was very easy to impress.

Hinata Hyuga never wanted to lead her Clan and when she is stripped of her title and essentially an outcast in her home, she finds solace in the brief comforts of a pink-haired girl named Sakura. Though little did Hinata know that losing her heiress title would send her life spiraling down a path of self discovery, bravery, and the realization that changing yourself is a possibility is the most powerful jutsu of all. But... perhaps stopping yourself from fainting whenever you happen to be around your crush is a start. And convincing the entirety of Konoha that it's first all-kunoichi team won't be a complete and total failure should be prioritized before any of that.

[;';]

From now on, Author's Notes and Comment Responses will take place at the end of the chapter!

Chapter 10: The Calm Before the Storm

"Sakura, when it comes to sensing genjutsu, always recognize the change in the air surrounding you. It will be as clear as day to notice the feeling that something is off. It almost feels like thick molasses has covered everything."

Sakura felt that feeling almost immediately when she and her team reached the staircase of the second floor. She paused. "Wait a minute. Do you feel that?"

Ino, a few steps ahead, stopped to give Sakura a curious look. "Feel what?" There was no sarcasm or teasing that laced her tone.

"Someone's using a genjutsu." Sakura muttered, a nervous sweat building up lightly on her skin. That sickeningly thick molasses feeling slowly became more and more prevalent the longer she sensed it. "I know that feeling anywhere by now with Kurenai-sensei practically beating it into me with her tree binding technique." It would be embarrassing if she hadn't felt it at all, all things considered. "It doesn't necessarily feel hostile but… it's definitely a genjutsu."

"Should we keep going this way?" Hinata asked softly, concerned.

"We'll have to." Ino said though she looked reluctant. "This is the only way to the third floor. We'll just have to dispel it. It's probably just the jonin trying to spook us or something. But we can't be spooked if we already know their tricks." Ino laid her hands on her hips. "Come on."

Sakura shrugged, "I guess she's right." She said, looking at her blue-haired companion.

"Why… do you like Sasuke-san so much?"

Sakura felt her stomach lurch and she cleared her throat. "Let's hurry up after Ino so she doesn't just leave us in the dust." Sakura coughed, following after the blonde. She didn't have the time to think about Hinata's mind-probing questions, they had an exam to focus on that would further her kunoichi career.

By the time they reached the floor two, there was already a crowd of people dotting the floor.

"Can you see?"

"I dunno…"

"What's going on up there?"

"Agh!"

Sakura flinched back in surprise when she heard the familiar sound of someone being punched. She stood on her tiptoes, barely able to catch a streak of green hitting the floor. "I can barely see anything like this." She murmured.

"Hey, clear the space around the door, people!" Ino exclaimed sharply, hands on her hips. She paid no mind to the irritated looks sent her way, chin held high. It was no wonder that people still stepped back, leaving a clear line for them to see what was going on.

Sprawled on the floor was the same green spandex wearing shinobi that had asked Sakura out some time ago. Sakura hadn't been expecting to ever see him again. Rock Lee, I think? One of Lee's teammates drew attention back to the situation at hand, the girl with the buns, Tenten. "Please let us through!" The brunette begged two boys their age. They both stood where '301' "We're supposed to go in there." She stood up cautiously, taking a step forward when she was suddenly knocked back by a fist. Lee caught her swiftly and Sakura's job dropped at the audacity.

"What did you say?" The boy on the right with a surprisingly red nose leered smugly. "Listen here, genin." He snorted. "We're being nice to you!"

"Nice?!" Ino repeated incredulously, blue eyes wide with anger.

"Clearly." The boy replied like it was obvious, smirking all the while. "The Chunin Exam is ridiculously hard."

His friend nodded, wearing a smirk of his own. "We've seen many people quit being shinobi altogether, even people become disabled because of the Exam."

"And a chunin is a unit leader's level." The first boy continued as if he and his friend were sharing each other's thoughts telepathically. "Deaths of teammates, mission failures, it's all the responsibility of a leader. Trust me, most of you guys don't have what it takes to be chunin. What's wrong with weeding out the weaklings now and calling it a day?"

Ino was seething and Sakura's brow furrowed right beside her. "That's not for you to say!" Ino spat, taking a step forward.

"Even more so," Sakura glared at the door sign the boys were standing under. 301 it read, but the concentrated feeling of a genjutsu felt more prominent than ever. "this is clearly the second floor! Leave the genjutsu tricks and tests to the jonin!"

Around her, Sakura could hear the mumbling of her peers' surprise.

"The second floor?"

"Is she serious?"

"No way!"

"She's right." Sakura nearly jolted at the sudden presence behind her, whipping her head around to the sight of black hair and matching eyes. Sasuke glared past her at the boys standing guard. "This is the second floor. I don't care if you feel like taking out weaklings, but take down the barrier. It's annoying."

The boys finally looked something more than arrogant. "Oh so you two brats noticed, huh?"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke as he walked ahead of her, barely hearing Ino's quiet praise that of course Sasuke noticed immediately what was going on. A few days ago, Sakura would have been squealing that Sasuke agreed with her analysis and reaffirmed it to an entire crowd. Now she felt dull and empty and confused. What's wrong with me? Sakura grimaced to herself. Sasuke-kun. You like Sasuke-kun. Romantically.

The pink-haired genin was only brought back to reality when she was gently yanked back as Sasuke and one of the genin prepared to fight, a blur of green suddenly passing through and catching their legs mid-air before blows could be exchanged. Sakura blinked and looked to her right, surprised to see Hinata standing so closely to her.

"S-sorry!" Hinata's face turned red as she took a step back, letting go of Sakura's arm hurriedly. "It looked like it was going to be violent a-and I didn't want you getting hurt and-"

"Thanks, Hinata." Sakura smiled appreciatively. "You don't have to freak out. I shouldn't have spaced out like that." She looked back to what could've been an ugly kick to her face had she stayed in place too long to see Sasuke and the other genin's kicks halted by Lee. Gods he is fast! Where was the boy who had been punched in the face so easily only moments before and who was this?

"What do you think you're doing?" A cold voice spoke as Neji approached the scene with a scowl. "You were the one who said that we should keep a low profile throughout this exam so we wouldn't catch any unwanted attention."

Lee flinched with a sheepish expression, "but…" His black eyes darted in Sakura's direction and Sakura pursed her lips.

Tenten made a frown to match Neji's as she realized what was going on, "really Lee?"

Oh no, not this again. There was nothing Sakura knew about this boy other than the fact he saw her walking around close to a training facility and that alone wasn't enough to make her date anyone. Let alone someone who wore green spandex in this sort of weather and expected her to be into it.

Undeterred, the boy began approaching her anyway and Sakura scrambled to find the politest way to turn him down. I'm already dealing with this Sasuke-kun thing during the Exams and that's enough for me! "Sakura-san!" Lee called intensely. "About what I asked you last ti-"

"I really need to focus on the exams, I'm sorry!" Sakura blurted before he could even finish the recollection of their previous encounter. The look of disappointment on Lee's face was palpable but Sakura offered a sympathetic smile. "I wanna focus on being a kunoichi right now so… sorry."

"See, Lee?!" Tenten scolded, tugging at his ear. "She's trying to focus which you should be doing!"

"I just thought-"

Sakura sighed in relief that the crisis was averted. "We should get out of-" Sakura trailed off from whispering in Hinata's ears when she noticed how the girl had shriveled into her hood, eyes finding the floor interesting. Sakura raised an eyebrow, preparing to get the girl's attention when she felt like eyes were burning into her side. What's his problem? Sakura glared when she realized it was the only other Hyuga in the room glaring at her teammate with what felt like the wrath of a thousand suns. Sakura took a firm step in front of her teammate with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Is there something that you need before we go to the second floor?"

Neji's glare lightened but it didn't falter. "I'm just surprised to see Lady Hinata here at the Chunin Exams."

'Lady Hinata', huh? Sakura vaguely remembered Hinata referring to Neji as her cousin the last time she was at the Hyuga Compound. He must be from a branch family then. The book she'd read in the Hyuga section of the Noble Clans history novel had only covered them briefly. The Hyuga were full of secrets unrevealed to the rest of Konoha but even the book had described that there were political tensions within the Clan due to the differences in treatment between the main and branch families.

The rules favored the main family of the Hyuga. A tale as old as time, Sakura encountering stories like this plenty of times in the Academy's history lessons about the downfall of minor Clans in the Land of Fire's past.

"Of course she is." Sakura crossed her arms. "Our team is just as ready as anyone else's so we'll be seeing you there, I guess." Sakura's tone had more than a hint of finality that Neji could pick up and it was thankfully left at that. "We should get to the third floor." She announced loudly to her team.

Asahi, glancing nervously at Sasuke who was exchanging sharp words with Hinata's cousin, "yeah we should get going too. We don't need another fight breaking out." Almost instinctively, he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder to keep him from running off and making a rival out of a complete stranger. "The earlier we get enrolled for the exam, the better. We're bringing attention to ourselves."

Ino grinned confidently, "it's fine, we'd do that anyway." Still she ceded to Asahi's desire, excitedly posturing up to Sasuke. "That was amazing back there, Sasuke-kun, you must be taking your training so seriously!"

Why does Ino like him so much? Sakura looked after the two, sure that Sasuke was likely making an uncaring expression. A part of her wanted to give into old habits and chase after them, letting Ino know she wouldn't be left behind. But as if we can focus on that with Hinata's cousin around.

"Hinata?"

Hinata looked up with a start, "yes?"

"You okay?"

Hinata nodded with a smile that was as fake as Sakura's chances of being a long lost member of the Sarutobi Clan. "I'm fine, really."

Sakura held back her protests and nodded, "okay, if you're sure."

"Hey, Naruto." Sakura leaned towards the orange-clad ninja closely after kicking up her speed to walk beside him. She occasionally glanced worried jade eyes looking back at Hinata's downcast form. Naruto leaned even closer and Sakura pushed back the urge to swat the boy for being insensitive in front of Hinata when she reminded herself. Hinata said she doesn't like him.

"Yeah, w-what is it?"

"Has…" Sakura bit her lip, not sure if it was her business to bring up. But Naruto's still Hinata's friend. She might've told him something, right? "Hinata ever talked about her cousin Neji? I don't think they get along that well."

Naruto blinked in confusion, "oh that guy with the mean mug from before? She's never brought him up whenever I've seen her."

Sakura hummed in displeasure, sighing. "I was hoping you'd know more than me since you've been friends with her longer than I have." And Ino was too busy going gaga over him the last time we saw him, so I'm not sure if she even noticed. "That guy, I think he's from one of the Hyuga's branch families. Hinata's not though, she's the heiress of her Clan. But from what I hear, the main and branch families don't get along."

"You think he wouldn't like her for something like she can't help?" Naruto sounded incredulous but for once Konoha's resident loudmouth kept his voice low. "It's not her fault she was born the heiress, Hinata-chan's the nicest person in the entire village. How would anyone not like her?"

Despite the tension gripping her belly, Sakura couldn't help her smile at Naruto's assessment. "Yeah she is." She helped Sakura with her taijutsu training and always seemed to have medicinal salves at the ready. The thought of anyone not liking her, let alone for her position as her Clan's heiress seemed preposterous. But it is always possible. And it could always be something more than petty Clan politics too. "Just promise you'll help me look after her during the exam to make sure that guy doesn't do anything? I know Hinata's strong. She always has to help me with training. But about this…? I could be freaking out over nothing but-"

The blond shinobi nodded, much to Sakura's relief. "Yeah I can do that. He looked like a jerk anyway."

Sakura nodded. "You can say that again."

Naruto crossed his arms, lips pursed in dismay. "That guy looked like a jerk anyway. A huge jerk."

Sakura snorted and gave Naruto a light shove, "I didn't mean literally, you dork." Naruto wasn't so bad actually.

"And what are you two joking about over there?" Ino queried with her hands on her hips, a fine blonde brow raised suspiciously. "I thought you wanted us all to hurry up for the registration instead of just standing around and gossiping."

Sakura clicked her tongue, "we're making great time, Porker." She glanced at Hinata and tried not to make a face at how Hinata's smile looked forced. "Don't worry, Hinata." In a few backwards paces, Sakura was walking in tune to the Hyuga's steps. "I'm sure the Exams are going to be a lot easier than what those guys from before said, we'll be fine." At the very least, hopefully nothing like just now will happen again.

Yet almost as soon as she had that thought, the universe decided it wanted to prove Sakura wrong. "Hey, you with the attitude!" A voice called out sharply and Sakura wanted to scream to the heavens. Not this guy again. Sakura groaned as she saw Lee glaring down at them.

"This guy again?" Ino voiced Sakura's thoughts.

Sasuke was unperturbed, "what do you want?" He asked boredly.

"I want to fight." Lee declared, unshaken as he jumped to the ground floor with the rest of them. "Right here and now. My name is Rock Lee, Sasuke Uchiha."

"You know me and you still want to challenge me?" Much to Sakura's dismay, Sasuke sounded more intrigued than he had moments ago. "Like you said, you know I'm an Uchiha, right?"

Lee fell into a stance, unprompted. "Of course. Everyone always talks about how amazing the Uchiha's strength and techniques are and I wish to see that for myself."

Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed. "If you really want to test my clan so much, then go right ahead."

"I get this weirdo first!" Naruto growled, irritated. Sakura was sure she saw what was the last of Asahi's soul and patience leaving his body as Sasuke nodded smoothly. 'Go ahead' Sasuke said. 'Go for it' Sasuke said.

Asahi stepped forward, sharply. "Absolutely not, we have less than a half hour to get registered for the Exams. We don't have time for this." Looks like I dodged a bullet because this could be me right now. Sakura suppressed a shudder and corrected herself. Well it at least would be lively. "Do this later when we don't have a time limit!"

"Asahi's right, we don't have time for this." Sakura backed the brunet up. "We should get registered as soon as possible and you guys can just do this la- and he's already going for it."

Asahi strangled the air with a frustrated sound. "Why did I have to get paired with two knuckleheads who don't understand the concept of time!" He whispered loudly, Sasuke pointedly ignoring him. At the very least, with the simple swat of a hand and a sweeping kick, Naruto was down for the count. "Do you have this out of your system now? Can we just do this later?"

But as Sasuke and Lee's eyes met, Sakura knew this was a losing battle and so did Asahi.

The boy sighed, "forget it, I'll just wait for them at registration." Asahi threw his hands in the air in defeat.

Hinata looked after the brunet with a worried expression, "should we get Naruto-kun and go too?"

Ino fidgeted, "well it isn't like it'll take long for Sasuke-kun to knock this guy out flat the way he did Naruto." The blonde justified it with a flustered but assured crossing of her arms as Sasuke charged forward. "And Naruto's fine, that guy barely did anything. He's just upset he lost."

Sakura pressed her lips into a line but she didn't protest. A part of her, a large one, was interested in what would be the result of this fight herself. If we don't pass the exams, I'll be on a team with Sasuke-kun. I should use this time to see what sort of moves he has. Even when Kurenai said it, Sakura didn't feel a complete sense of elation at the news. After talking with Hinata, she was even more confused.

This was something she'd wanted even before she was declared a member of Team Eight. Then it turned out she was supposed to be on Team Seven before she was placed on another. Sakura fell deeper into her thoughts.

What if I was on Team Seven right now instead of Team Eight?

Would Sasuke offer to help her improve her taijutsu as Hinata did?

Would their sensei prioritize team relationships like Kurenai, commanding that they spend some sort of time together as a team outside of missions? With how chaotic Sasuke, Naruto, and Asahi's dynamics were, Sakura wasn't sure if he did.

Would her relationship had improved with Naruto's the way it had? Sure she was getting along with him now, but that was because of their mutual friendship with Hinata. Hinata who Sakura had only grown close to because of their placement on Team Eight. Hinata who asks weird questions before an important exam.

Sakura spotted Asahi who, for all his griping, had edged around the sudden 'battlefield' to help Naruto get on his feet as Sasuke was kicked back by Lee.

Sakura watched in surprise as Sasuke stood up, ready once again, red eyes gleaming with two tomoes dancing around each pupil. Amazing, so that's the Sharingan. Even amidst her inner turmoil, Sakura couldn't help being impressed. Those eyes can do things that not even a Byakugan can do. And unlike the Byakugan, this doujutsu wasn't present permanently. And he must have trained like crazy to activate it. How long has he been able to do it? It hit Sakura then how many people she was surrounded by who were blessed to be from amazing clans with amazing kekkei genkai since her Academy days.

There was nothing of note from the Harunos. She felt the brief sting of envy that she pushed down. They still trained hard back in the Academy so they could graduate.

Sakura remembered how Ino would have to spend hours a day training even after school and worrying if she was going to be hurt or catch a stress-induced fever. I just need to train harder if I want to get better at standing up to Hinata's Byakugan or a Sharingan or even Ino's Mind Transfer jutsus.

Sasuke was catapulted into the air by a kick to the chin, Lee's flexibility and speed was impeccable.

"We should get going." Sakura said at last, ignoring Ino's look of surprise. "I don't wanna push our luck waiting for Naruto's team so we should go ahead and just wait for them there." She waved off Hinata's worried expression, Hinata was a bit too intuitive for Sakura's liking at times when she wanted to wallow quietly. Besides, if there's one thing I'm good at, it's exams!

"Sasuke-kun, I've been waiting for you to show up!" Ino launched herself onto Sasuke's back nearly twenty minutes later when Team Seven finally arrived to the examination room.

Sakura sighed in exasperation but didn't complain, catching the tired look on Asahi's face. At least Naruto's team made it in time, along with Lee's who kept their distance. Sakura glared discreetly, squinting at Neji. Thankfully, his energy was directed elsewhere rather than making Hinata feel uncomfortable.

"Oh, you guys came too?" Shikamaru asked, voice as bored as ever, Chouji by his side.

Naruto looked unsurprised, "oh it's the idiot duo."

"Can you stop calling us that?" Shikamaru sniped before grumbling under his breath. Sakura held back a snicker.

"Shikamaru-san is the same as always, huh?" Hinata whispered and Sakura nodded, glad her earlier gloom was dissipating. "It's almost like being back at the Academy again." It was almost a given at one point that Naruto, Shikamaru, and Chouji would be three of four students constantly in detention.

"All we need now is for Kiba and A-"

"Well well well." Kiba sauntered over with a smirk, his ever faithful hound Akamaru resting atop his head. Sakura and Hinata shared a look before erupting into quiet giggles. "Looks like the whole gang's back together again." Minus the intimidating and unfamiliar faces, Sakura appreciated the sense of normalcy this arrangement presented as Kiba went on to tease Sasuke.

"Even if the porker can be annoying, let's do our best to knock this exam out of the park." Sakura beamed quietly at her blue-haired companion.

Hinata looked back at Sakura with a start but a small but pleasant smile adorned her face quickly. "Let's do our best."

Author's Note: The way I updated this on AO3 and then forgot to put the chapter here, I am so sorry jgnfdkgjnf

This was probably my longest hiatus which tbh kicked off last year during the BLM protests, my mental health as a black woman was at an all time low and then one of my moms started having health problems so I took a break from writing as a whole. But even when I considered dropping my fics altogether, I couldn't shake it off. I just need to finish, I love writing this story and still getting comments from people who miss the fic and want to see it updated and I don't want to let anyone down, let alone myself.

So here I am! Naruto and Sakura are slowly beginning to become friends while Sakura is preparing herself to throw hands with Neji should things go that far. Sasuke who? Sorry bro, Sakura has other things to worry about (though she is questioning her feelings for the guy seriously). This chapter also focused a little on how she feels a little inadequate at times being a normie among the gifted. The ending was a bit abrupt I feel but after a while of not writing ALP, it's nice to try and get back into the groove of things.

Is this Sakura stan slowly enacting her hc that Hinata is the flower/princess of the Konoha 11? Maybe, maybe not. Leave me alone, I'm right, and that starts right here and now with Sakura and Naruto. In my heart of hearts in canon, Naruto may be married to Hinata but Sakura is canonically the biggest Hinata simp in the series and if you don't believe me watch The Last again or even look at the official art for the wedding where everyone is looking at the camera but Sakura is looking at Hinata instead. That's simp energy right there.

Naruto: Hinata, I'm b-
Sakura, pushing Naruto out the way: ^u^ Hinata, my beloved, I brought you some cinnamon rolls since I had some extra time off today
Hinata: 3 oh thank you so much, Sakura

Naruto has never once felt the urge to disown a friend but he came close that day. Kicked her out the house and Sakura was just "wow, all the shit Sasuke's done gets a pass but you kick me out? The misogyny."

Naruto: GET OUT MY HOUSE

This happens daily. Boruto and Himawari and Sarada often joke that Naruto might say no one loves Hinata more than him… almost. Sasuke comes home and is like "Sakura, I got youflowers" But there's nothing but a note telling Sasuke to reheat his own dinner because Sakura is having girl's night with Hinata. Hinata he barely gets along with because of the hard time she gave him before because another hc I have is that Hinata wasn't fond of Sasuke because of how he betrayed Naruto and Sakura and she let him know this once he came back to the village. It's a hard time for Naruto and Sasuke but they prevail.